He’s Got a Song in his Heart

For the first six weeks Pettigrew lived with us, he was silent. Not a bark, growl, or whimper. I thought his vocal cords might be damaged. When he did start to audibly express himself, we learned he had a goodly portion of coonhound in his DNA. I had never before heard a dog baying.

For years he shared typical dog sounds. It was only when our children progressed in their musical abilities beyond beginner songs and scales that we learned about Pettigrew’s hidden artistry.

He loves jazz and blues!

He sings along.

Usually he waits for the song to get going, getting into the rhythm and mood before he lets loose. My sons, not understanding the subtly of scat singing, wondered if he hated the music. (His singing is not everyone’s idea of harmonious.) But, while singing, he lies, relaxed and composed on the sofa, showing no signs of distress. So I am convinced that he is merely raising his voice in song.

However, he is a shy artist. If you look at him or if he suspects that you are listening or trying to record his vocalizations he instantly stops and assumes such a look of boredom and innocence that you …almost… begin to question what you just heard.

Listen to my son playing the piano and watch for Pettigrew’s reaction!

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Published by authorpolk

I live in the suburbs of Washington, DC with my dog, husband, and two sons. I teach environmental education and am a librarian. I also write children's books and hope to be published one day. In the meantime, I blog about the crazy things my dog Pettigrew does.
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5 thoughts on “He’s Got a Song in his Heart”

I love this blog post because I can so relate to Pettigrew here. I have been a lifelong piano player and as a kid growing up in the 1950’s and 1960’s, listened to a lot of rhythm and blues, which led into rock and roll, like the music Pettigrew is hearing. I absorbed the music and, like Pettigrew, I could harmonize some even though, with limited range, I am not a good singer (perhaps a little better than Mr. P). But importantly, I noticed that Pettigrew did not add any WORDS to his singing, and this too reminds me of my own inability to retain lyrics as opposed to the music! I am always jealous of those who can sing both melodies AND words, and am much drawn to a fellow no-words harmonizer like Pettigrew.